Stay
by ironcroft11
Summary: Po is faced with a life changing question: Will he live at the Jade Palace or the Panda Village? And what will a certain tiger think about his decision? Pure TiPo fluff


It was a quiet evening at the Jade Palace. The sun was getting low and therefore painted the sky in a bright orange that could even rival the fur of the great Master Tigress. Speaking of Tigress, she was in the Jade Palace kitchen, together with the other warriors of the Jade palace: Monkey, Viper, Crane, Mantis and, of course, Po.

A week has passed since Po defeated Kai, the deadliest villain the group has ever faced. Even Shifu seemed surprised that everything worked out fine in the end. But, knowing Po, he would always find a way to save the day and make everyone happy. He wasn't making the Five happy today though, at least not Tigress. Ever since Gongmen City and their battle against Shen and his wolf army, Tigress grew to really like the Panda. And that is an understatement. Seeing him getting shot out of that factory was the worst she has ever felt in her life. She couldn't describe the feeling but she knew she never wanted to experience it again. Since that day Tigress kept a very close eye on Po, as if something could happen to him any moment.

Li Shan, Po's biological father, was also eternally grateful that his son was alive. So grateful, in fact, that he couldn't imagine life without his dear son anymore. Therefore, he made him an offer, just a few days after he defeated Kai.

_5 days earlier. Panda Village_

„_I still can't believe my son is alive! And on top of that he saved the world! I am so proud of you son.", Li Shan told Po when he visited the Panda Village after Kai's defeat._

„_Yep. For the third time, don't forget that!", Po answered jokingly as he gave his panda dad a nudge._

_Li Shan's smile faded as he became serious: „You can't even begin to imagine how much I missed you. I can't and I won't imagine life without you. Move to the Panda Village, to me. These are your people, your family, Lotus."_

_Po was taken aback by what his father said. He never gave the situation a proper thought, but now that his father mentioned it, there was the question where he would now live._

„_I would love to, Dad, but the Five and Shifu need me at the palace! They are my family too, you know.", Po said, hoping his father would understand._

_Li Shan, now frowning even more, answered: „I know son. I know. It's just that, ever since your mother died and you got taken away from me, I feel so lonely. I have no family left but you Lotus." He turned away as he was holding back tears. Po couldn't stand watching his father like that._

_He sighed: „I will talk with Shifu and the Five. Maybe they don't need me as much as I thi-". Po couldn't finish his sentence as his father had already embraced him._

„_We'll be together again, after all these years.", Li Shan said with, this time tears of joy, in his eyes._

Present day. Jade Palace kitchen

To say the mood wasn't good would be an understatement. Po just told the Five about his father's offer. Safe to say no one expected that question.

„Should I move to the Panda Village?"

Yep, the Five definitely didn't expect that question.

Of course the Five wanted Po to stay, but they also didn't want to stand in the way of Po's happiness.

„Hey, if that makes you happy - go for it buddy!", Mantis exclaimed.

„Yeah, if you want to live with your panda dad you should totally do that, I mean, he is your dad after all.", Monkey added.

„Oh I'll miss you Po, promise me you'll visit us from time to time?", Viper said to which Crane added: „Yeah and don't forget to bring some of that delicious Noodle Soup."

Everyone was laughing as the mood seemed to brighten a bit. Everyone but Tigress, who still had the stern look on her face she had ever since Po asked them the question.

„Oh yeah! I will bring you guys a years worth of Noodle Soup!", Po exclaimed as he started laughing with 4 of the Furious Five.

Then he noticed that Tigress hasn't said anything and looked rather concerned.

„Hey Tigress, everything alright? You haven't said a word all evening.", Po asked her mildly concerned.

She gave him a cold look and answered: „Yes Po, everything is fine. If you desire to go and live with your _family_ then you should go." The way she stressed the word ‚family' threw Po off. The Five didn't seem to notice, but Po did. He knew Tigress better than anyone and could tell if something was bothering her.

„If you would excuse me, I wanted to take a walk before I go to bed. I will see you all in the morning. Good Night.", Tigress told them coldly and left the kitchen.

„What's up with Tigress?", Crane asked to which the rest of the Furious Five simply shrugged.

„I don't know, but I'm gonna find out.", Po answered as he stormed out the kitchen, running after Tigress.

„Tigress! Wait up! I just wanna talk!"

No answer. Po couldn't see her.

„Where could she have gone?", he asked himself as he walked out of the Jade Palace barracks.

Meanwhile the sun has gone down completely, the moon and the stars being the only thing that lit up the sky. It was a beautiful night.

Tigress sat at the Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom. Her favorite place to be when she had something on her mind, and boy did she have something on her mind.

„How could he do that to us?! How could he do that to me?! Do we mean nothing to him? How could he just leave..", Tigress thought to herself as she was close to tears.

Although it was hard to admit, she definitely harbored feelings for the panda. Strong feelings. She just wasn't ready to tell him yet. She began to think back to everything they went through. Tai Lung, Shen, Kai. They easily could have died in any of these battles and yet they miraculously survived them all. They have been through so much. Tigress couldn't imagine life without Po anymore, and she didn't want to. Po not only changed her life, but the life of everyone at the Jade Palace. Even Shifu lightened up, much to Tigress' and the Five's surprise. Po was special, she knew that, and letting him leave would be the biggest mistake of her life.

She sighed: „I have to let him go. What kind of friend would I be if I I put my own needs over his? If he truly wants to live with his biological father, I should respect that. Even if it will break my heart…" Her ears perked up at the sound of heavy breathing.

Po knew exactly where Tigress went. They often had conversations at the Peach Tree, it was just the place to be when you felt down. Something about the place simply radiated a feeling of peace and harmony. The perfect place to think. Or to _talk_. He walked towards the mountain on which the Peach Tree was on.

„Remember, the view is worth it Po.", he told himself as he sighed and began walking up the stairs to the tree. When he arrived at the top he saw Tigress, sitting on the edge of the cliff, staring into the night. He knew she heard him when he was halfway up the stairs, which he always found amusing. There was no way that Po could ever sneak up on Tigress, no matter how great his Kung Fu skills became.

„Of course he followed me here.", Tigress thought to herself, a small smile creeping itself onto her face. Po was too kind hearted to ignore her behavior. She knew he cared about her, a lot, but did he care as much about her as she cared about him?

„What do you want, Po?", Tigress asked coldly, as if Po's presence didn't make her feel warm inside.

Po knew something was up with Tigress, the tone in her voice confirmed it for him.

„I was just wondering why you were so quiet this evening. What's wrong?", Po asked Tigress, making no effort in hiding his worry.

He could read her like a book. The Five didn't seem to notice that something bothered her, Po did. Po always did.

„Everything is fine, Po. You can go back to the others. I'll go to bed shortly. Thank you for your concern."

„It's about my question, isn't it?", Po asked Tigress as he sat down beside her.

She looked away.

„I told you Po, everything is fine. If you want to go live with your father then you should do that. After all it is your decision and if it makes you happy-", she briefly paused before continuing: „-it makes me happy." She offered him a weak smile. A smile Po didn't buy at all.

„You know, Tigress, this isn't easy for me. I want to stay so bad! I love you guys! But I love my dad too and I am all he has left. I feel like I owe this to him, for being absent all this time.", Po said, wiping away a single tear that formed in his eye.

Tigress looked over to him, taking his hand into hers: „Po, you don't owe anything to anyone. It wasn't your fault that Shen did this to your people. It isn't your fault you weren't with your father. I think it was destiny. It was destiny that Mr. Ping raised you as his son and it was destiny that Oogway chose you to be the Dragon Warrior. If it wasn't for all that, we would have never met."

„I'm really glad you told me that Tigress. You always know the right thing to say.", Po said with a smile on his face. Tigress really knew how to cheer up the panda.

Tigress smiled back.

„If it makes you happy Po, then go. Your future is in your hands, only you can decide what your future holds."

He sighed: „I know, thank you for understanding Tigress. You know, I will miss the others and Shifu. But I will miss you the most."

Tigress' eyes grew large with what Po said and without knowing it Tigress was prisoner of a hug unlike any other. She could feel the warmth of Po's body and fur radiating through her. The shock turned into happiness as she returned the hug, never wanting to let go. When they parted, both could feel how cold it has actually gotten. Both wished the hug could've gone on forever. They sat in silence, simply admiring the beauty of the view before them. Their arms slightly touching, enough so they could feel each others warmth. While Po took a peach to eat as a midnight snack, Tigress' smile faded as she realized what would happen now. Po would leave them. He would be gone. Sure, he would visit them from time to time, but it wouldn't be the same. They grew to love each other, they were a family. And now all that was over. Po chewed on the peach, the sweet flavor overwhelming his taste buds. He simply enjoyed the moment. The stunning view, his favorite person in the world sitting next to him. Nothing could ruin this evening.

„Stay."

Po was just done swallowing as he heard that word. That one word. He thought he misunderstood.

„What did you say Tigress?"

Tigress didn't answer. She knew exactly that he understood what she said. But just in case, she repeated herself, as if saying it more often would increase the chances of it actually happening.

„Stay."

Only this time she added another word.

„Please."

Po was taken aback. He didn't know how to react. He thought she just gave him the permission to leave and now she wanted him to stay? Safe to say Po was confused.

„But I thought you just said I should go, that only I can choose what my future holds.", Po said, remembering what his best friend had told him just moments earlier.

„I know what I said, but that was my mind speaking.", she said.

„Right now, it's my heart that is speaking."

He didn't know what to say. He had feelings for Tigress for a long time. It was a crush at first but that crush quickly turned into feelings once he actually got to know her. He never even considered Tigress feeling the same way. But right now, with what she was saying, he wasn't so sure anymore.

Tigress continued, tears now rolling down her cheek: „I don't know if I can go back to life how it was before. I don't know if I can go back to a life without you." She didn't care that she was crying. All she wanted was for Po to stay. Nothing else mattered right now.

Po, still in shock, began to think about his life. About his family and his friends. The Five and Shifu have become his family, there is no doubt. The more he thought about it the more obvious became the answer. He couldn't leave them, he couldn't leave Tigress. Before she knew it, Po wrapped Tigress in a big hug, crying into her shoulder.

„That's all you had to say Tigress.", he said almost inaudible because of his tears and the fact that his mouth was nuzzled into her shoulder.

Tigress welcomed the embrace and her frown turned into a smile again.

„I'm so glad you're staying. Don't ever scare me like that again."

It was now Tigress' turn to cry. There was no way she was letting Po go. Not now. Not ever.

„It's like you said Tigress, only I can decide what my future holds. And my future is here, at the Jade Palace, with you."

They stayed there for at least a few more hours, talking, laughing and enjoying each others company.

And Po could only think of one thing:

„I'm so glad I'm staying."


End file.
